The widespread prescribing of OxyContin and other painkillers known as opiates has left thousands of Americans addicted. Concern about prescription drugs ranges from the effectiveness of government oversight of the pharmaceutical industry to overuse of antibiotics and the resultant surge in deadly, drug-resistant infections. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot)

A scandal over mold-contaminated medicine that killed dozens of patients last year has added fuel to a debate over how well federal and state officials are policing the safety and effectiveness of prescription drugs. Innovative medicines have helped drive down death rates from such diseases as HIV/AIDS and cancer, but other drugs have spurred concerns about safety, physician prescribing practices and patient abuse. Painkillers known as opioids are blamed for a nationwide wave of addiction, for example, and the growing overuse of antibiotics has led to a surge in deadly, drug-resistant infections. Meanwhile, beginning next year, the pharmaceutical industry, which spends nearly $29 billion annually on product promotion, must disclose an unprecedented level of information about its efforts to market drugs to consumers and doctors.